The Shockers have won five Missouri Valley Conference football championships. Marvin Brown, 19, Solomon, sophomore tailback, Don Christian, 20, Duncan, Okla., junior defensive back, John Duren, 19, Oklahoma City, sophomore end, Ron Johnson, 21, Kansas City, Mo., senior safety, Randy Kiesau, 20, Clinton, Okla., junior defensive back, Mal Kimmel, 21, St. Genevieve, Mo., senior center, Carl Krueger, 19, Chicago, sophomore tackle, Steve Moore, 21, Derby, senior linebacker, Tom Owen, 20, Temple Terrace, Fla., junior running back, Gene Robinson, 21, Dayton, Ohio, junior end, Tom Shedden, 20, Oklahoma City, junior tackle, Richard Stines, 19, Kansas City, Kan., sophomore guard, John Taylor, 21, Sherman, Texas, senior cornerback, Jack Vetter, 21, McPherson, senior tackle. It crashed around 1 p.m. about 40 miles west of Denver on Mount Trelease. [2] [3] They played their home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference until the program was discontinued. Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. However, the American has 11 football-playing schools, as Navy is an associate member for football only. AP. Id say Wichita State and they would say, Thats the school that had the plane crash, wasnt it? Id say, Yeah, it sure was. But nothing else, because I didnt want to talk about it. Dave Lewis, In almost every conversation, when people ask you where you went to school, they remember the crash and ask about it. Wichita State was playing its first game since head coach Ben Wilson, athletic director Bert Katzenmeyer, 14 players and 15 other people died in a plane crash on Oct. 2, 1970 en route to a game at Utah State. Holly, NJ: Rancocas Valley Regional: . I feel badly that it happened, of course. Its just something you live with all the time. The "Gold" plane carrying the first-team players and staff crashed in Colorado's Loveland Pass. Marshall lost, 17-14. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. The team compiled a 09 record (04 against conference opponents), finished last out of five teams in the MVC, and was outscored by a total of 381 to 99. A: Other factors budget woes,losing records, low attendance and loss of conference affiliation caused the demise of football. Without football, the Shockers' basketball program has become a powerhouse. This week, we take a look back at Arkansas' game against Wichita State in 1970. 1970 Wichita State Shockers Roster | College Football at Sports-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 1970 Wichita State Shockers Roster Previous Year Next Year Record: 0-9 (123rd of 123) ( Schedule & Results ) Conference: MVC Conference Record: 0-4 Coach: Ben Wilson (0-9) Points For: 99 Points/G: 11.0 (116th of 123) Points Against: 381 The team's statistical leaders included Rick Baehr with 513 passing yards, Don Gilley with 290 rushing yards and 12 points scored, Bill Moore with 175 receiving yards. . The team was known as Fairmount from its first season in 1897 to 1925 and Wichita from 1926 through 1963. 1970-71 Wichita State Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 10-16 (0-0, in MVC ) Coach: Gary Thompson PS/G: 80.0 (82nd of 206) PA/G: 80.0 (136th of 206) SRS: 1.65 (81st of 203) SOS: 1.61 (80th of 203) Wichita State School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game The 1970 Wichita Shockers football team was an American football team that represented Wichita State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. Homecomings are exciting times, Father, whether it be a homecoming with you when the game of life is over or whether it be a grand homecoming with this tremendous crowd today at Wichita State University. This is a weekly feature at Hawgs247. Be sure to enjoy VIP access to Hawgs247 with our Buy 1 Month, Get 2 additional Months FREE promotional offer. The Wichita State Shockers football team was the college football program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. [15] Thirty-one persons were killed in the crash, including the following 14 players:[16][17], The fatalities also included head coach Ben Wilson (and his wife Helen), athletic director Bert Katzenmeyer (and his wife Marian), team manager Marty Harrison (age 19), team trainer Tom Reeves, admissions director Carl Fahrbach, ticket manager Floyd Farmer, Shocker Club chairman Ray Coleman (and his wife Maxine), Kansas state representative Ray King (and his wife Yvonne), the plane's pilot Dan Crocker, and two stewardesses.[17][24]. medical attention for their injuries. service was held Monday evening at Cessna Stadium. Hugh McElroy, who that week became the . "I honor their memory every day," Lewis said. Hey, theyre cheering for us, commented a Wichita footballer as the red wave of Razorback fans cheered the Wheatshockers onto the field. Richard Taylor Minister at University United Methodist Church, he knew many of the players, coaches and administrators on the plane. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. On October 2, 1970, airplane carrying Wichita State University football team crashed in Colorado Rocky Mountains killing 31 team members, supporters, coaches and airline personnel. I would be somewhere and someone would ask me where I went to school. By the half, the freshmen were veterans. Ahlberg traveled to Colorado with the families to visit survivors and identify the dead. The 1970 Wichita Shockers football team was an American football team that represented Wichita State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. The plane crashed while trying to land at Tri-State Airport in Kenova, W.Va. Bulldozers plow through wreckage of the DC9 chartered jet that crashed in Kenova, W.V., Nov. 15, 1970. (AP Photo/Henry Griffin)AP. On Nov. 28, 1970, Levitt Arena hosted A Night of Stars benefit for the victims of the Wichita State and Marshall University plane crashes. This years is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday. The two schools shared in the proceeds from the A Night of Stars benefit at Levitt Arena. A little more than a month after Wichita State's tragedy, a plane carrying the Marshall football team crashed and killed all 75 people on board, including 37 players and nine members of the coaching staff. The NTSB estimated the plane exceeded its takeoff weight limitation by around 5,165 pounds. To read last week's Throwback Thursday on the previous nine times Arkansas and Texas A&M played when both were ranked, click here. 1986 Football Roster; Search for: 1990 Roster. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators [36] At the end of the season, a nationally televised fundraising program hosted by Monty Hall was aired to raise money for the victims of the two crashes. A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshall's football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in . Q: What is the significance of the Gold and Black designations for the planes? The unfortunate loss of 31 fine individuals deserves to be remembered.. Do you have a blog? This is an opportunity to put the events in the publics mind, Stephens said in 2014. "[39] Assistant coach Bob Seaman took over as the team's head coach after the crash. No plans have been made for the construction of a new multi-purpose athletic facility to replace the decrepit stadium. We need your support. [14] Prior to the start of the season, second-year head coach Ben Wilson described his squad as a young club with good team speed, room to improve, and "a chance to surprise a lot of people."[13]. The pilots of the Gold plane changed their flight plan, deciding to give their passengers a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains. A: The Black plane followed the original flight plan, north toward Laramie, Wyo., to gain altitude before crossing the Rockies. On September 12, Wichita State opened its season with a 4114 loss to Gene Stallings' Texas A&M Aggies before a crowd of 30,006 in College Station, Texas. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. John Duren, 19, Oklahoma City, Okla., Sophomore TE, Randy Kiesau, 20, Clinton, Okla., Junior CB, Mal Kimmel, 21, St. Genevieve, Mo., Senior C, Carl Krueger, 19, Chicago, Ill., Sophomore DE, Tom Owen, 20, Temple Terrace, Fla., Junior RB, Gene Robinson, 21, Dayton, Ohio, Junior TE, Tom Shedden, 20, Oklahoma City, Okla., Junior OT, Richard Stines, 19, Kansas City, Kan., Sophomore G, Jack Vetter, 21, McPherson, Kan., Senior DT, Bert Katzenmeyer, 52, Elwood City, Penn., Athletic Director, Ray Coleman, 45, Wichita, Kan., Shocker Club Chairman, Minority Owned Businesses & Cultural Opportunities in the AAC, Wichita State Crash Survivor Relives Details, Crash site an important memorial for 'Gold Plane' family, Triumph and tragedy: Scotties grad Barkell starred at Wichita State, recalls plane crash, Forgotten tragedy: Survivors' quest to keep memories of 1970 Wichita State crash from fading, Daughter of WSU plane crash victim never knew her 'Da-da', 1990: Those left behind mourned and built new lives, Three generations later, the secrets of Wichita State's devastating plane crash are still unfolding, Wichita State plane crash killing 31 in 1970 revisited Saturday, Youve got to go on: Children of Wichita State crash victims share a 50-year bond, Wichita State marks anniversary of 1970 football team plane crash - Wichita Eagle, Overshadowed: The Wichita State Football Crash, Black & Gold: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash, Surviving Oct. 2nd: Remembering the Fallen with Rick Stephens, 'Gold Plane' & Silver Plume: the Wichita State Plane Crash Revisited, A Look at the WSU Plane Crash's Aftermath, Crash Site an Important Memorial for 'Gold Plane' Family, Former Utah State player still feels linked to Shockers, Shocker Summer: 1970 healing process began on a Saturday night in Little Rock, Shockers forever: Area graduates were part of Wichita State program when plane crash killed 31 in 1970, Greg Hansen: Remembering the Wichita State plane crash, 50 years later, The Valley of No Return: The Story of the Wichita State University Football Team Plane Crash, Wichita State University Football Team Airplane Crash Collection. However, the surviving members of the team voted 76-to-1 to complete the 1970 schedule. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS. 1970-71 Men, 1958-59 Men, 2008-09 Women, 1975-76 Men, 1995-96 . Taylor died Oct. 28 in a San Antonio hospital. Check out the detailed 2000-01 Wichita State Shockers Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. it with us, please let us know. Lettermen from the 1970 FSU Football Handbook, page 41. . Please consider supporting our work. Find . The Gold plane was taking a more scenic route, but the pilot encountered difficulty and was unable to pull the overweight aircraft out of a canyon. I headed down the mountain to get help and a pickup came and took me up to a construction site where we called for help.". (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS. [4], In the 1905 season, the Coleman Company set up temporary gas-powered lighting for a night game against Cooper College (now called the Sterling Warriors). However, the score took a backseat in this game. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. [12], On December 2, 1986, Wichita State President Warren Armstrong announced that the university would no longer sponsor football due to the financial strain the program placed on the university. And it was dedicated to all those guys who didnt make it.. [13] Hoheisel, who was described by coach Wilson in the preseason as "the heart and soul of our defense",[13] was selected as the team captain. Information and quotes from this compilation gathered from stories published by The Wichita Eagle. '70 at 9 a.m. each October 2. The Black airplane carried the reserve players and assistant coaches. Current Team: Lurleen B. Wallace CC Birthplace/Hometown: Freeport, Florida Nationality: United States Height: 6-1 (185cm) Weight: 160 (73kg) Current NBA Status: Draft Eligible in 2026 Draft Entry: 2026 NBA Draft Pre-Draft Team: Lurleen B. Wallace CC (Fr) Change player? The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. I feel badly that we were even flying the team that day. However, the aviation company did not own a DC-6 so it made arrangements to use one. Radio voice Gus Grebe was supposed to ride on the Gold plane, but was late arriving and flew on the Black plane. On April 15, 2020, it was announced that the Kansas Board of Regents had given Wichita State University permission to demolish Cessna Stadium, the former home of the school's football team. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Significant factors were the overloaded condition of the aircraft, the virtual absence of flight planning for the chosen route of flight from Denver to Logan, a lack of understanding on the part of the crew of the performance capabilities and limitations of the aircraft, and the lack of operational management to monitor and appropriately control the actions of the flight crew., Federal investigators take readings from the instrument panel of the DC-9 jet that crashed in Kenova, West Virginia, Nov. 15, 1970, killing all 75 occupants, including the Marshall University football team. The Utah State football team held a brief memorial service at the stadium where the Coach Bob Seaman Wichita States offensive coordinator took over as coach, a job he held until 1973, when athletic director Ted Bredehoft fired him. The chartered Southern Airways DC-9 was returning from a game the team played earlier in the day against East Carolina University in North Carolina. The Thomas A. Reeves Memorial Scholarship honors the Wichita State trainer who died in the crash. Cheers in this stadium have turned to tears and back again to cheers and all are a part of life..